River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-01-13
4 YOUNG HEROINE.

-E
\ YOUNG HEROINE.
The night Of Aug. 6, 1864. a train
loaded with wounded Confederate sol.
diers left Atlanta on the Macon Road.
The train was made up of ordinary box
and cattle ears. and was destined foI
Macon. The wounded. after having
received such surgical aid as could b,
rendered al the field hospitals. wer,
placed a. thickly a possible on the
bare floors of the cars, except in few
Instances whore the wounded man had
been fortunate enough to bring his
blanket or gum cloth with him from
the field, in which ,a=a il had been
placed under him. In many instances
when the wounds were of Seriou.
character. the soldiers clothing had
necessarily been cut away By the sur.
geons who not having other garment,
to replace those clotted with blood and
probably cut into strings, the soldier
was placed aboard the cars with only q
'rt or a pair of drawers on. as be
happened to be wounded in the lower
or upper limbs This partial nudenes>
however. instead of being a source Of
discomfort. proved blessing. a. the
weather was unusually hot. 1t enabled
them to get the full benefit Of the little
breeze there was aStir.
! occupied "a small space in one OF
the cattle-cars. had received wound
on the line that morning which neccssi-
tated the immediate amputation Of 2
lcg above the knee | must have been
unconscious at the time of being put
aboard the train. a. the first distinct
recollection | have was of being "shak-
en- up, a. if bY the starting of the
train. | shall never forget the scene
upon which my ewes opened. 4 tallow
candle at each end of the car threw q
titful and wearied light over the ghaSt-
IN spectacle Men there were wounded
in every conceivable wav-some with
shattered arms and legs: some with
bloody StumpS Of limbs; some with gap
ING wounds in their trunks; other,
with torn and bandaged heads; ant
I'll with gha~tly. pain-diStorted faces
and added to this the agonizina
means prayers and cries for EVA
ter, water, that rose above tn,
din and rattle OF the train. and it ga,
one an impression of the Internal reg
ions, and | recall il with feeling of tn,
greatest horror.
In strange contrast to these gha>tly
surroundings, however, was the appear
ance of two female figures AN old or
middle-agcd lady and Young girl o.
- or l6-who were seated on 4 box OF
trunk just between the doors, NTH,
centre Of the ear. ] remember feel
ing Of both surprise and JOY at seeing
them. although suffering fortunes from
nv own wound al the time. Where
they came from orwhat was their de~
ination are matters of conjecture but
] always supposed them to have beer
refugees from the storm of shot am
shell which Sherman : guns were hourly
pouring upon the beautiful Gate City
This train Of wounded soldiers wa.
doubtless the only means Of transpor
tation offered them, and they accepted
il rother than remain amid the dangers
surrounding their home. They bore
evidence Of culture and refinement. and
their bearing was that of wcll-to-do
ladies' But there they sat. surrounded
by sight that would make the stoutesi
heart quail. No word passed between
them and myself. but the old lady turn
ING her eve, in my direction, observed
that a stream of blood was running
from my wounded lee. 4 ligature had
slipped from the main artery. and
death was only question of a few
minutes.
A few hurried whisper, were ex-
changed between the two. and
then the Young girl arose and came
and kuelt down beside me, and taking
4 handkerchief from her pocket tied il
securely around the bleeding stump.
This done. she took u para<oI which she
carried. and passing it under the hand
kerchief. twisted it until the flow of
blood was completely checked. And
thus She knelt throughout that long
night, holding the para>ol upon which
depended a human life, while the train
went along at what appeared a ~nail's
pace. The slowness OF the train was
afterwards accounted for by the PROV
unity of Gen. Straight'- cavalry rail,
We reached Griffin ut 4 a. m. and
through the efforts of my girliSh
pre-crver | was taken from the train
and carried to the Catoosa Hospital,
where the refractory artery received inn
mediate attention. Under the skillful
treatment Of the surgeons and the kind
nursing Of the noble ladies Of Griffin |
finally recovered.
The ladie. probably continued their
Journey on the train. and from that
DAY to this have remained IN ignor-
amce Of the name or residence Of my
preserver. Not word was exchanged
between Us She seemed in no mood
to talk. and was too weak aud too
sorcly tortured by pain to utter any
thing save grouns. But my eyes
seemed rivcted during all the long
hours on her delicate. aristocratic face,
and | well remember the traces Of deep
sympathy that mingled with her maid
only bushes.
Nearly quarter Of century has
passed since that terrible night: the
old lady has probably oeen gathered
TO her fathers. and the young girl, if
living. has grown to be u woman Of 3S
or 40-maybea happy wife and mother
Time has doubtless obscured her reeol-
iections OF the scenes and incidents Of
that night Of horror: but the boy-sOl-
1 cr. whose life her noble action saved.
still lives. and cherishcs and blesses her
memory. Away IN the Utmost chamber
of my heart i the image Of a sweet
girlish face all covered with crimson
bushes. and a. often as memory reyerts
to those days Of carnage and blood ]
utter a bcnediction for the little Georgia
heroine. Justin D. Haynes. then Lteu-
teHaHt and idjutant SLrtg-tbird TirgtHta
Iafgatrg. az ATLANTA Constitution.
BY contracting a severe cough and cold
was compelled 70 give up my daily work
and keen 10 the house. a neighbOr recon-
mended me to try a bottle Of DIR, Bulls
Cough Syrup; it was procured and used 70
my astonishment relief was instantaneous